Universal drill head



May 15, 1951 A. c. Kom 2,553,416

vUNIVERSAL DRILL HEAD Filed sept. 18, 194

IN V EN TOR.

4375 Q/m/y/MK-M Trae/v6 26 Patented May 15, 1951 UNIVERSAL DRILL HEAD Albert C. Koett, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Kett Tool Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 18, 1946, Serial No. 697,654

9 Claims. l

. This invention relates to electric driven portable tools and is directed particularly to a universal head adapted for association with a portable electric drill or the like for the purpose of supporting and driving a drill bit laterally or at an angle to the axis of the portable electric drill.

The principal purpose of the device has been to provide an attachment for an electric drill which will enable holes to be bored in spaces too conned to permit the electric drill to be used in a conventional way. For instance, a drill equipped with a universal head constructed in accordance with the present invention is especially adapted for use in drilling holes for insulators in joists of a building which usually are spaced too close together to permit a conventional electric drill and bit to be arranged Within the space between the joists.

The present improvement consists essentially of a housing adapted to be mounted on an electric drill, a second casing adjustably mounted upon the rst for supporting a chuck disposed laterally with respect to the axis of the electric drill, and. a gear train for transmitting rotary motion of the electric drill through the housings to the chuck.

In more detail, however, the principal objective of this invention has been to provide an improved construction which is simple and therefore inexpensive to manufacture, of low overall weight so as to facilitate its use by a workman over prolonged periods of time, and also more sturdy than the units which have been available, whereby drills or bits of substantial diameter may be operated.

In order to reduce the weight of. the unit as a whole the housings of which it is comprised are in the form of castings of aluminum or magnesium. These metals display poor qualities of wear resistance and, in order to prevent deterioration during use, wear resistant elements of hardened and ground steel are associated with the housing, with a minimum increase in the weight and with no increase in the size or compactness of the assembly.

A further objective of this invention has been tov provide a Vunit with which an elongated drill bit extensibly is associated by means of a bottomless chuck arranged to receive the drill shank telescopically. The purpose of this construction is to enable holes to be bored to the full depth of the drill shank from working spaces which are substantially no greater than` the overall length of the drill itself. In use, the drill ini,- tially is coupled with the chuck disposed near the working end of the drill and, when a hole to this depth has been drilled, then the chuck `is loosened so as to permit an additional length of;

drill to be moved forwardly after which the chuck is tightened to permit the drill to bore a deeper hole and so on until a hole of substantially the full drill length has been bored.

A unit constructed to provide these improved results is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. l Y

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional View of a modied form of chuck or drill holder for the unit.

The device shown in the drawings is adapted to be associated with a conventional power drill l which is shown iragmentarily in Figure 3 in' the dot and dash lines. A drill of this type conventionally is equipped with a threaded coupling 2 adjacent the spindle 3 of the apparatus.- Ordinarily a cap is associated with the coupling 2 and a drill chuck is mounted upon the spindle 3. the electric drill the cap and drill chuck are removed so as to make the apparatus ready to receive the universal head.

The head consists of cooperating members indicated generally at 4 and 5, the latter terminatf ing in a chuck 6 and the former terminating inf a clamping collar 1.

The clamping collar is employed as a means for fastening the universal headl to the threaded coupling 2 of the body of the power drill. For this purpose the head member 4 is provided with an annular Wall 8 delineating an entrance cavity 9 to receive the spindle 3 of the electric drill. surface as at IIJ, preferably with left hand threads. Collar 1 is in the form of a split ring including bosses or lugs Il at opposite sides of the points where the ring is split. A clamp screw I2 passes through one of these bosses into threaded engagement with the other so as to draw the bosses toward one another and-thereby contract the diameter of the ring and bind itA both to the drill body and to the housing 4. p In the preferred construction one endwise portion of the ring is threaded internally tov However, for use of the present device withv The annular wall 8 is threaded at its cuter v spindle. Subsequently, as screw I2 is tightened,

a very rigid connection is established.

The housing 4 at its opposite end terminates in a face I3 which is disposed in a plane parallel with the axis of the drill spindle 3 and this face is provided With an annular flange I4 fora rab beted connection with a recess formed in 'a' cooperating face of the housing member 5. housing member 5 thus is rotatable in a plane of revolution parallel to the axis ci theA drillspindle 3 and the housing 4 may be shifted rotaf tionally about the coupling 2. The tWo housings, in effect, establish substantially a universal connection between the. drill. housing I and the drill. chuck 6A whereby the. chuck can be disposedv in. many dierent. positions with respect to the body of the. portable drill, to. suit Working conditions or space limitations.

The internal details of .construction are shown in Figures 3. and. 4. The transmission system for imparting rotary motion from the drill spindle 3v to theA chuck 6. includes a bevel gear I6. which is formed at the end of a circular nut Il' threaded or bored for engagement. With the drill spindle 3 in any suitable manner. Bevel gear I6 cooperates with bevel gear I8I which is one member of a couplet, the other -bevel gear: L9, of' which is in meshing engagementwith a bevel gear 2d (Eigure 4) keyed to the sleeve by which the chuck 6. is. driven- As housing 5 is rotatably adjusted about housing 4 to a key position the; bevel gears, track 01.161.A 1119011. the. 0.191161' and. al? all times 1'6- main operative engagementV with one anothen In boring holes by means of bits of substan-- tial diameter heavy thrust. end torque. loads are developed. which the gearing system must With.- stand. The electric drill is constructed, interiorly of drill spindle 3, toA accept the thrust loads of the. bevel' gear .6- The gear. couplet I8. and I9 is'. rotatablyinounted; upon a shaft 2/I having4 one epd fastened "to one of 'the housing members. tl'exopposite end extends through the other of. the housing members tocarry a Wing. nut 22l by means of which the tvvohousing members 'are drawn tosetlieliandheldiii any 'angular positieiiy in which they may havebeen set inrespect to one another; It.. Will. be.V understood that this shaft 2l. is. on an. axis vliidi ipiist.- biseot the axisofl chuck. 6. At the. saine time, hov/jever, as pre,-l vious'ly described, it is desirable that the chuck may be arranged telescopically to'U receive the drill shank in order to permit the drillrto` be mounted. in variouspositions of longitudinal extension from thebhuck,

The structure shown in Figure 3 which accommodates both requirements consists of a flanged head 23g provided upon the end of cross, shafty 2l and arrangedtof be received Within a recess in the housing member 5. The:r flange 26 ofthis head is lseated upon the bottom of recess 2l formed Within the housingr, and.'screws.'2 8',passv through. the flangeinto the body of the housing.,

5. thereby. holdingA the shaftf 2I in rigid. xed, p 'o'zsiztionfupon the.- housing, 5,. Qne of the virtues ofi. this" construction is` that. the recess 2.1- mayf be. bored inV concentric; alignment. with the recess at the; facef of-l this housing member. which engages .gangs Iii. At messias tiinefiemse. i be I in Figure, 5 and dizsposin'g iixe 'ple 3.9; tii'e= driving in bet being pressedn to., bear. against'thefend. 7i the... Spindle 3 I,YV as.A shown bored conveniently in concentric alignment with the bore in housing member d through which shaft 2| is to extend. Thus, the ange 26 may be constructed to t snugly within the recess 21 thereby conveniently disposing the shaft 2| in axial alignment With the bore in the housing 4 through which it is to pass. In this manner the parts conveniently may he arranged to iit precisely one Within another withy a "minimum machining cost.

For the purpose of clearing bevel gear 20, the ilanges 246. are relatively narrow and extend in opposite directions from the head portion 23 of the cross shaft- 2jI. The housing 4 is provided with a Wear plate 29 of hardened steel, this platebeing'held place by means of screws 3l) tvhichpass thrcugh the plate into threaded bores in the body of the housing 4. Thus, the opposite ends off the couplet of gears I8 and I9 bear respectively upon the Wear plate 29 and upon the surface. or the head portion 23v of the cross. shaft 2|. both of which. are made of hardened Wearresistant materials,v to. withstand the. loads to which they are subjected, without deterioration.

The head portion 23 is bored transversely in alignment with the axiszof the. chuck 6,. to permit a. hollow spindle member 3 I` to. pass therethrough. This spindle isY journalleclY in` ball bearings 32,. the outer races of. which. are located in bores. at the front andy rear ends ofy the housing 5,.. Rreierably. the. bore; at the rear.. of the. housing 5. terminates a, shoulder 3.3. which forms a seat for the. rear b allbeappg. VWhile the. housing. at the front. thereof is oounterbored to. provide a shoulf der for. the front ball; bearing.` The.. rearball bearing is. held in` plage! against longitudinal movement by means or a pla-te 3.4. which. is held. in position tliioiigh a.' snap ring 35 While. the front ball bearing is. held in place. by means; of a cap. 3.6 threaded upon.Y the housing.- 5.; and presenting. a ange 3.1. extending.. inwardly to embraeei the. outer race. of theta-1.1. hearing unit.

Bevel gear 20 is selliedto the4 hollow Spindle. by means of. a key. 3.8;. A. threadedv nipple 39. is'fastenedfi rigidly to theholloxv spindle 38, prefs erably by press tting the nipple upon. theY spindle, at the portion thereof.; extending: beyond; the front ballbearingg. This. nipple. receives a; chuck nut '40. wluch; is arranged. to aotuate the jaws cfa split collet 4l. Thus.. aszthe @huele nut 4l). is tightened thetapered'surfaceg ofthe nut bears; upon a surface of complementary taper on the collet. so asV to squeeze.y and.: bind the. collet. upon the shank 43 offthe: 'dx-.11:1 bit.. 414.. The frictonal connection formed in this manner is Suitable.;

for driving the drill, bitl under ordinary' oonditions of usage. However, ifs-thel drill bit is of.-

substantial. size diiulty.: may be, encountered'.

incorporated: 'conveniently by flattening' the drin? shank s*urb-stantiall'yi'- to 'the' vcrossv Section5 shoyv the. holler. spi fiilea. piemeiitaiy soiigig maybe fastenedbypres iittin'g bei intotneihside'd t III A modified form of chuck is shown in Figure 6,Y

comprising a cylindrical head 41 which is bored to receive the drill shank snugly. This head is bored transversely as at 48 to receive one or more set screws which bind the drill shank in the chuck. The A construction is simpler and less expensive than the collet typerof chuck which is shown in Figure 4 and is suitable for use with drill bits having uniform shank diameter.

Although a frictional engagement is sufficient to hold the housing 5 in its selected angular position for light service, it is desirable to provide a more positive engagement for heavy duty service, since the resistance of the drill tends to rotate the housing 5 on its shaft 2l. Forthis purpose, the shaft 2l may include a portion 46 adapted to key the shaft to the housing 4.' As'villustrated, this portion may be octagonal in cross section to key with an octagonal opening through thebearing plate 29 and thus-provide a series of eight positive angular positions, 45 apart, for the housing 5. In the present instance the adjustment is made by backing off theA wing nut 22 a sufficient distancerto Withdraw the key portion of the shaft 2l from engagementwith the opening of plate 29 thus permitting the housing 5 and shaft to be rotated to a different position and re'- engaged. The plate 29'being rigidly secured to the housing 4, securely locks the shaft and housing 5 in its selected angular position, relative to the housing 4, and prevents slippage under severe service conditions.

When deep holes are drilled it is sometimes difficult to remove the bit especially if it be of the auger type. Figure 4 shows a construction which is adapted to facilitate drill bit removal. For this purpose the rearward end of the hollow drive spindle 43 is provided with a cross key 49 presenting an inner face which extends chordally across the bore of the spindle to provide a configuration complementary to that of the atted drill shank. The drill spindle is accessible through an opening in the end plate 35. Thus, when a deep hole has been driven the chuck is loosened and the tool is removed from the'drill bit while the drill bit resides in the hole which has been bored. Then the tool is reversed'and the back end of the tool is engaged with the drill bit whereby the key 49 is in driving connection with the flat of the drill bit shank. This reversal of the universal head relatively drives the drill bit in an opposite direction whereby it winds its Way out of the hole previously bored.

While the universal head of the present invention has been described in connection with an electrically driven portable drill, those skilled in the art readily will understand that the apparatus is adapted to be used with a pneumatic type o f tool or with a flexible shaft having a suitable means for coupling the head thereto.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A drill head adapted to be secured to a motor housing to permit a drill spindle journalled in the head to be angularly adjusted universally relative to the axis of the motor housing comprising; a pair of housings, one of said housings arranged to be mounted upon the motor housing, the other of said housings having a, drill spindle journalled therein, a cross shaft traversing said housings at right angles to said drill spindle, and having one end permanently fixed to one of the housings and an intermediate portion releasably keyed to the other of said housings, locking means on said cross shaft for releasing the keyed housing from the cross shaft permitting said housings to be adjusted angularly relative to each other, and driving gears respectively carried upon said cross shaft and drill spindle. V

2. A drill head adapted to be secured to` a motor housing and adapting a drill spindletov be angularly adjusted universally relative to the axis of the motor housing, comprising; a primary gear housing adapted to be mounted upon a motor housing, a secondary gear housing, the secondary housing having a cross shaft secured thereto and extending through the primary housingat right angles to the axis oi said primaryhousing, a releasable key on the cross shaft operable torestablish a non-rotatable connection with the primary housing releasable means on said shaft for securing said housings together with the primary housing keyed to the cross shaft and forA disengaging the key for adjustment of the secondary housing relative to the primary housing, a drill spindle journalled in the secondary housingl at right angles tol said cross shaft, gears respectively carried on said cross shaft and said drill'spindle, said gears in mesh with each other and arranged to mesh with a motor drive gear to drive said drill spindle.

3. A drill head adapted to be secured motor housing having a drive gear and adapting a drill spindle journalled in theA head to be adjusted universally relative to the axis .of the motor housing comprising; a primary gear housing, means for securing said housing to the motor y housing, a circular flange on vsaid primary housing, a secondary housing, said secondary housing including a circular recess adapted to receive said circular flange on the primary housing, a cross shaft, said shaft traversing the primary housing centrally of said flange, the cross shaft having a head at the inner end thereof and the secondary housing including a second recess which is centered with respect to the first recess to receive said head, a polygonal section on said cross shaft arranged to lock said housings together in nonrotatable relationship, a drill spindle journalled ing, a cross shaft, said cross shaft having a hardened head located centrally of said housings and secured to the secondary housing, said primary `housing including an opening to receive.

said cross shaft, the shaft having a polygonal section adapted to key with said opening to lock the housing non-rotatably to the shaft at selected angular positions a drill spindle journalled in the secondary housing, a gear journalled on said cross shaft and a gear meshing therewith secured on the spindle, the gear on said cross shaftY arranged to bear against the head of the cross shaft.

5. A drill head adapted to be secured to a motor housing having a drive gear, and adapting a drill spindle journalled in the head to be adjusted universally relative to the axis of the motor housing comprising; a primary gear housing, means for securing said housing to the motor tol'a.

housing',a circuiarl-liange on said primary nous'- ing, a secondary housing, said' housing including a circular' recess adapted to receive said cir-V cular ange, a cross shaft, said cross shaft located centrally ofisaid circular recess. andhaving its inner end secured to the secondary housing, said primary housing including an opening centrally' of said flange tov receive said cross shaft and permit rotation of the' secondary housing, apolygonal sectionv on said cross shaft, engageable with said opening to lock said housings to-Y gether in non-rotatable4 relationship, a drill spindlejournalled in the secondary housing, and gearscarried by said cross'shaft and drill spindle respectively toY transmit power from a drive gear of the motor housing to said drill spindle.

G; A drill head adaptedto be secured' to a mo'- tor housing having aprimary drive gear, and adapting a drill spindle to be angularly adjusted universally relative to the axis' of the motor housing, comprising; a primary gear housing adapted to be mounted upon a motor housing in axialalignment therewith and arranged` for adjustment in" a plane radially of the motor hous-r ing, a secondary gear housing, the secondary' housing having a cross shaft having any end per-A manently secured to the secondary housing' and extending through `the primary housing at right angles to the axisA of said primary housing, said shaft permitting adjustment ofv the secondary housing angularly vof theA primary housing, said shaft including av disengageable key portion adapted' to make a non-rotatable connection with theI primary housing, means for engaging and disengaging said key portion to permit radial adjustment of'v the secondaryy housing relative to' the. primaryv housing, a gearv cluster journalled on said cross shaft, said gear cluster adapted to meshv with a primary drive gear of the motor' housing, a drill spindle j'ournalle'd in the second'- ary housing, a gear'secured on said spindle, said gear meshed with said gear clusterv for driving said spindle.

7'. In a drill head adapted` to be' secured to a motor housing having a drive gear and adapting av drill spindle journalledin' the head to be angularl'y adjusted universally relative, to the axis ofv the motor housing; a primary' gear housing, means for securing said` housing to the motor housing, a secondary housing, a` hardened cross shaft, said cross shaft traversing said. housings centrally thereof-"and having a head `at its inner end'. secured to the secondary housing, a polygonal. section on. said' shaft, a hardened' plate including a complementary opening'adapted.' to. engage said polygonal. section and. key said plate. relative. to the. shaft, said plate secured'. to saidprimary housing and'said key section, adapted to permit said secondary housing-to be adjusted. to a series of xed. angular.y adjustments relative. to. saidseeondary housing.

s', Ina drill head adapted to te' secured ic a' motor housing having a drive gear, and adapting ai drill- 'splndle jburnalled' in the` head to loe'v 'djus'ted universally relative to the motor housing; a primary gear housing, a secondary' gear housing, said housings formed of a light weig'li't'zfl material, a hardened cross'- shaft traversing saidf housings and secured to the: secondary housing', ay key section on said cross shaft, a harde cned plate secured to said primary housing, said plate including an' opening complementary tov said k'ey section and permitting the secondary housing' to loe adjustedl to a series of positions relative to the primary housing', a head on said hardened cross shaft, a bevel' gear journalled on thecross'v shaft' andA disposed between the'y head of the crossshaft and said: hardened plate, said; headand plate arranged to receive the end' thrust' of 'said' gear.

9. A universal head adapted to be' attached to. a portable power source, comprising a pair of housings' relatively movable with respect to" one' another, said' housings respectively having' input and output spindles' and a cross shaft which is common to the axes of said respective input and output' spindles, said cross shaft having an eye portion secured to one of the housings4 which isV aligned with the output spindle' and through which the output spindle passes and said cross shaft extendingV through the otherl housing" and"v having av polygonal section adaptedy to key with' respect to the other housing and havin'g' means' associated therewith for' clamping the' housings' one tov another, said input and' output spindles" respectively having' gears thereon and said cross shaft' having a. gear' coupled thereon' which is' in train connecti'onrwith thev gears up'on the input' and output' spindles.

ALBERT C. KOETT.

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